Airplane fuel tank fueling device



y 1950 J. R. SNYDER 2,508,626

AIRPLANE FUEL TANK FUELING DEVICE Filed Nov. l9, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 E 47 46 v Jdcol: Rush 573343.81?

May 23, 1950 SNYDER 2,508,626

AIRPLANE FUEL TANK FUELING DEVICE Filed Nov. 19, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 50w J/E UR g7 (761605 21/571 SIB (Yea:

May 23,1950 J. R. SNYDER 2,508,626

AIRPLANE FUEL TANK FUELING DEVICE Filed Nov. 19; 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 m ;3 I Jzcob Hush s a Patented May 23, 1950 esogezt AIRPLANE FUEL TANK 'FUEL'I'NG Device not Ru h nrde j E -ohm t rro o Thompson Prodt'icts, 1116:, Glevlan'd, Ohio, at

corptrafion or Ohio Application November 19, 1943, Serial No. 510395 1 This invehtioh relatels to a device for 'qulifcklir and satay charging vehicle fuel tanks "such as airpiafie fuel tanks. V I

Specifically theinvehtion deals with a device for eharging the w'furgtanks tr airplane with-out the necessity for c imbing vo'ri t'op or t win While the 'ihvehtioii win he hereinafter specifi cally described as embodied in ah airplane wing and wing ta'rik assembly, it should be ungierstcsb-a that the invention is riot limited to such usagfe, since it is gener gly useful fbrthe charging at any type of container in an vehicle or on sta tionars supports. v V 7 7 In accoraahpe with his invention ail 'airfilahe wii'ig'. having sga c'edublier an lower wails or arid a firel tank therein between the walls or skins is movie-ea with a charging soot in the lower wall or skin of the wing. A bracket-is mounted in the wing to bridge the sour ep'em'n and this hracket fixedly carries a coupling box with a valve part therein sealing the box; A conduit joiiis the coupling box with the top end of the tank. A mating coupling boii is mounted on the end of a charging conduit such :as a hose frofn :a gasoline truck and this boxalso has a valve part therein sealing the box to prevent leakage out of the hose. Each of the coupling boxes carries interfitting spring fin ers so that; when the charging door is open and the coupling box on the charging hose moved into assembling position with the wing-carried coupling box, the 1 spri fin s will inte loc o detacha ly co meet the boxes. The valve parts in each box are interfittmg and. ro ate in the met d-t ther bo es'a a u it o t n rdq m t e hens in fluid now communic ion b t a o a hablyom greeting the boxes and preventing leakage therebetw en- Aqua ter t o on of he valve parts from their box-sealing positions will niove th m to pos t l r p n ct n lt bo es n l id flow communication. The charging hose is, therefore, in fluid 10w communication with the conduit leading-to the top??? the-tank, and the tank is H. 1? adapted to be readily filled through the lower wall or the wing without the necessity for climbing on top of the wing to reach the usual top tankmergingm lt l The vclosure for the opening :in the lower wall of the wing preferably carries a. protective covering member for the wing-mounted coupling box to partially receive the end otthehox and protect this end against damage as well as keep it sealed r-rom dirt. The coupling look onthe charging hose likewise has the end face thereof th s .2 g with string fingers for detachable iokihg with the p ih fingers on this box. g I x it is, then, an object of this invention to pro= vice a quick and safe chargi'ii' dfev'ice'.

A further object of the invention is toprovi'de device 'foicharging "airplane wing tdfikis through the lower wing wall or skin to avoid the necesstay for climbing on top of the wing for the tank ha h b t e t A "Still ffulther'ohj'ot of the i'l'lvel'lt'rb'n is 170 pro; yids 'a safetir firelechargjfig device forvehicle tu'e'l 'a ks wherein the hicle carries a fixed coupling bartja'dapted to c operate with a complementary coupling part 'or' a charging 'condditarid wherein each of the coupling fi'arts 'con'ta'ih valve I'nfeinber's sealing the Darts Wheh disconnected and joining the harps in cohrrected fluid new relation.

A *still further object Of the inventio to provide a fuel-chargirrg aisserhbly for vehicles vlrlriere' in complementary coupling boxes are snapped iiito substantial connecting relationship prior to "abtualconhectioh thereof.

A still further object of the ihveht'ion is e) brovid a cnarging device torvehicle's wherein av'eh irfounted coupling I detachably retaiiis-a =charg1rrg conduit coupling through snap sheen aha 'l iildsthe charging conduit couia'l i hg" pa e tion for the final coupling operation;- 7

other aha further objects or the inveht'ioh will be ajfiparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed de'sc'ription of the time-sea sheets 'of drawings which, by way of reterm example only, illustrate one emb odilnrit or the inverition "On the drawings: v v

Figure l i e broken fragmentary vertical cross: fse 'onal view of 'an airblane w i'n'gahd wing tank P pp'ed with a charging device "according to nvention. w Figure is a ragm ntary side elevatior'fajl View, with a part in vel'tiical cross'section; of the char n; device of this'i'hvention mom-twain "coupli'fi i rsw m m Figure 3 is 'a jsid'e elevational view of the icouglmg used in the charging device of irrveta l W Figure 4 is an enlarged view siinil'ar to Fig:- ure 2.

Eigure 5 is a vertical cross=sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken along the ine v -'v of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical cr'o's s sectional view taker;

along thelihe VIVI'0f Figurea V I Figuf 7 is a side elevationial view oftl fe g g; f lafie mounted coupling part illustrating the Figure 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view,

with parts in elevation, taken along the line X-X of Figure 9. Figure 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view.

taken through the coupling parts illustrating the positions of the valve members when the parts are in sealed disconnected relation.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figure 1 the reference numeral l designates generally the wing of an airplane having a top wall or skin II and a bottom wall or skin [2 providing a space 13 therebetween in which is mounted a fuel tank Id. The lower wall l2 has an opening l5 therein closed by a charging door 1 6. As illustrated in Figure 2,. the charging door 16 may have a hinge connection IT with the wall l2 and may be equipped with a locking fastener I8 to hold the door in closed position substantially flush with the lower wing wall 12. A strap or bracket I9 is mounted in the space l3 of the wing on the bottom wall 12 to bridge the opening IS. A conduit fitting 20 is mounted on the top wall of the bracket [9 and receives the end of a conduit 2| extending through the space l3 into the top of the tank l4.

As shown in Figure 2, a charging conduit 22, which may be in the form of a hose from a gasoline supply truck (not shown), has a fitting 23 mounted on the end thereof.

In accordance with this invention the conduits 2| and 22 are sealed whenever the same are in disconnected relation and are coupled together in fluid flow relation by means of a quick disconnect coupling 25 best shown in Figures 3, 6

and 11 The quick disconnect coupling 25 is composed of a first coupling part or box 26 and a second coupling part or box 21. As shown in Figure 3, the box 26 has an end flange 26a with bolt-receiving apertures 26b therethrough while the box 21 has an end face 21a with tapped internally threaded bolt-receiving holes 21?) extending inwardly therefrom. The holes 26b and 21bserve for mounting the box 26 on the top wall of the strap i9 and for mounting the box 21 on thefltting 23 as will be more fully hereinafter described.

As shown in Figures 6 and 11, the box 26 has a port 260 extending inwardly from the flanged end 26a thereof to an open topped flat bottomed segmental cylindrical chamber 260', having the H axis thereof at right angles to the axis of the port. Similarly the box 21 has a port 210 extending from the end face 21a thereof to a flat bottomed segmental cylindrical chamber 21d receiving the tongue 26). Similar side walls are M provided on the opposite sides of the boxes 26 4 and 21. As indicated in Figures 3, 6 and 11, the boxes 28 and 21 have flat bottom walls 26g and 21g respectively adapted to be abutted together when the boxes are brought into mating relation for being coupled together.

The boxes, when brought together in mating relation, thus define an open-topped closedbottomed cylindrical chamber, and this chamber rotatably supports a two-piece cylindrical plug or valve 30. The plug 30 has one piece 30a. thereof rotatably carried in the box 26 and the other piece 301) thereof rotatably carried in the box 21. The piece 30a defines a cylindrical passageway 300 for connecting the ports 26c and 21c of the boxes while the piece 30b has a segmental cylindrical recess 30d for receiving the projecting wall of the piece 30a which partially defines the passageway 300.

The boxes around the mouth of the cylindrical chamber defined thereby have a circular trackforming groove 3| receiving semi-cylindrical flanges 32 on each plug piece 30a and 30b. The bottoms 26c and 21g of the boxes likewise have semi-circular grooves 33 therein receiving semicircular rim ends 34 on the plug pieces. When the coupling parts are in disconnected relation, as shown in Figure 11, the flanges 32 and 34 of the plug piece 30:; are disposed entirely within the grooves 3i and 33 of the coupling box 26 while the corresponding flanges on the valve piece 301) are completely disposed in the grooves 3| and 33 of the coupling box 21 so that the plug pieces are retained in their respective boxes. In this position of the plug pieces, the cylindrical side walls thereof close the ports 26c and 210 and are acted upon by the seals 28 to seal these ports as shown in Figure 11.

When the boxes 26 and 21 are brought together in mating relation and the valve 30 rotated to the position shown in Figure 6, the cylindrical passageway 30c connects, the ports 26c and 210 in full fluid flow communication while the flanges 32 and rim ends 33 of both valve pieces are disposed in the grooves 3| and 33 of both coupling boxes to connect the boxes. Thus the multipiece plug or valve is operative to not only seal the ports of the boxes when the boxes are disconnected but is also operative to connect the boxes in fluid flow communication. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the flange 23a of the coupling box 26 is mounted under the top wall of the strap l9 and bolts 35 are passed through the holes in the flange and through this top wall of the strap to suspend the box from the strap. Bolts 36 secure the fitting 29 to the strap and flange.

The bolts 35 also carry opposed spring fingers or plates 31 straddling the cylindrical side walls of the boxes 26 and 21 in spaced relation-therefrom and terminating in outturned end flanges 31a at a level above the lower wing opening 15. A pair of elongated horizontally extending apertures 31b are provided in each spring plate or finger 31 in spaced relationabove the outturned flanges 37a thereof.

Bolts 38 connect the fitting 23 to the coupling box 21 and are threaded into the holes 21b of this coupling box. These same bolts 38 also support opposed spring fingers or plates 39 straddling the cylindrical side wall of the box 2'1. Each plate or finger 39 has a pair of spaced spring legs or arms 39a at the free ends thereof terminating in outturned flanges 33b for seating in the slots or apertures 31b of the spring fingers 31. The arms or legs 39a are adapted to underlie the fin- 5. gets 31 and be guided by the outturned flanges 31aof these fingers into such underlying position.

As the coupling box 21', with the fingers 39 thereon, is moved into mating position with the coupling box 25 the fingers 39 will be moved under the fingers iii and the arms or legs 39a will have the flanged ends 39?) thereof automatically snapped into the apertures or slots 31b thereby suspending the coupling box 2'! in substantial mating relationwith the coupling box 26- and facilitatingthe coupling operation.

With the coupling box 2i suspended from the box 26, it is a simple matter to rotate the plug or valve SE! for connecting the boxes in fluid flow communication. The plug or valve 30 has a boss or lug projecting through the open tops of the coupling boxes which is readily adapted to be engaged by a wrench for rotating the valve into position for uniting the boxes and for opening the ports thereof to connect the conduits 2i and 22 in full fluid flow communication.

As shown in Figures 2, 7 and 8, the closure iii for the wing opening l5 carries a bracket 4i having a seini-eylindrioal depression Ma in the middle thereof receiving a semi-cylindrical felt washor or pad 4-2. When the box '2! is uncoupled from the box 26 and the closure i6 is swung to closed position, the felt pad 42 will receive the projecting c lindric'al wall of the valve or plug piece sea defining the passageway 3% and will abut the end of the coupling box to protect the valve piece and coupling box. This protective covering is desirable to prevent damage to the coupling box and valve piece.

As shown in Figures 2, 9 and 10, the coupling box 21 has a chain 65 secured thereon carrying a rubber plug 46. This plug 46 includes a rectangular base portion 46a and a soft segmental cylindrical portion 46b for fitting into the recess 35d of the valve piece 39b. The base 46a is adapted to overlie and cover the open end face of the coupling box 21.

A metal plate 41 overlies the base 45a and has end portions 41a projecting through the base to straddle the cylindrical portion 481). These end portions provide spring fingers and are apertured or slotted as at 571) to receive the outturned fianges 39b of the arms or legs 39a on the fingers 39 carried by the coupling box 2'1. Thus the plug 46 is adapted to be retained over the end of the coupling box 2 for protecting the coupling box.

From the above descriptions it will be understood that this invention provides for the filling of airplane wing tanks with fuel through the bottom wing skin or wall, thereby obviating the necessity for climbing on top of the wing to charge the tanks. The wing structure carries a self-sealing coupling part and means for readily suspending a complemenetary self-sealing coupling part on a fuel-charging hose. The coupling parts not only seal the ends of hoses or conduits on which they are mounted, but also automatically join these ends in full fluid flow communication whenever the parts are coupled together. Thus, in charging a fuel tank according to this invention, it is merely necessary to swing open the closure door It on the lower wall or skin of the wing, lift the end of the charging hose through this opening to snap-fit the coupling boxes together for immediately suspending the hose on wing structure. It is then a simple matter to rotate the valve of the coupling parts for connecting the parts in flow communication.

The fittings 29 and 2| on the hoses or conduits can converge as shown to provide tapered Venturi-like throats for metering down the flow of fuel from large diameter hoses or conduits to the diameter of the ports in the coupling parts, thereby preventing any turbulence of fluid at the coupling. After the fuel tank has been charged, it is merely necessary to rotate the plug or valve of the coupling to disconnect position, thereby automatically sealing the conduits and disconnecting the coupling parts, The spring fingers 31 can readily be spread or the spring fingers 39 can readily be contracted to permit separation of the suspended part 21 from the wing-carried part 26.

By having the conduit 2| communicate with the top of the tank M as shown in Figure l, the coupling part 26 is not subjected to the pressure of the head of fuel in the tank I4. However, this top-filling arrangement can readily be replaced 7 with a bottom-filling arrangement if desired.

After the charging operation, and'the removal of the coupling part 21 from the part 26, the closure I 6 is swung to closed position and the felt pad 42 automatically covers the coupling part 26 and the valve piece therein for protecting the. same. The plug 46 can then be snapped over the coupling part 21 to protect this part and the valve piece therein.

Since the coupling parts cannot be disconnected unless they are sealed, leakage of fuel is elimin: ated. The fuel-charging device of this invention therefore not only speeds up the procedure for charging fuel tanks, but also greatly increases the safety of this procedure in that fire hazards due to leakage are avoided.

Itv will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range withoutidepart'ing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims. J

I claim as my invention:

1. A charging device for :a tank :mountedon an airplane which comprises a first coupling part fixedly mounted on the airplane in communication with a tank of the airplane, a second coupling part for mounting on the end ofa charging conduit, multi-apertured resilient skirt means .on one of said coupling .parts and spring fingers on the other of said coupling parts engageable in the apertures of said skirt means for suspending said second coupling part onsaidfirst coupling part in substantial mating relation therewith,:and amulti-piece valve rotatably supported :in thecoupling parts for uniting said parts in fluid flow communication and for sealing the parts in disconnected relation.

2. In a charging device, a coupling part, a valve piece rotatably mounted in said coupling part to seal the part, spring fingers straddling the sides of the coupling part, a soft resilient plug contoured to conform to the exposed surface of said valve piece, and spring fingers on said plug cooperating with the spring fingers on the coupling part for detachably connecting the plug and valve piece.

3. In combination, a first coupling part, spring fingers on said first coupling part straddling the side walls thereof, said spring fingers having slots adjacent the free ends thereof, a second coupling part, and spring fingers straddling the side Walls of said second coupling part having outturned free end portions adapted to seat in the slots of the spring fingers on the first coupling part whereby positioning of the coupling parts into mating relation will automatically position the spring fingers in connected relation to detachably connect the parts.

4. A charging device for a vehicle tank comprising a first coupling part fixedly mounted on a vehicle adjacent the bottom of the tank to be charged, a first conduit connecting the coupling part with the upper portion of the tank, a second coupling part for mounting on the end of a second conduit, means on the first coupling part for suspending the second coupling part and second conduit on the vehicle, and a multi-piece plug valve having a piece rotatably retained in each coupling part for sealing the coupling parts, said valve having means thereon for connecting the first and second coupling parts in fiuid fiow communication to join the first and second conduits.

5. In combination, a tank, conduit means having an end portion communicating with said tank, and means for fixedly positioning the other end portion of said conduit at a level below the top of said tank for filling said tank by upward fiow through said conduit means, said other conduit end portion comprising a first coupling part, a first valve part in said first coupling part for sealing said conduit means, a second coupling part adapted for connection to a charging conduit, a second valve part in said second coupling part adapted for sealing said charging conduit, means respectively carried by said first and second coupling parts for detachably holding said coupling parts together in mating position, said first and second valve parts cooperating to form a valve unit when said coupling parts are held together in mating position to control fiow from said charging conduit through said conduit means into said tank, said positioning means being rigidly connected to said other end portion of said conduit means only at said first coupling part to make possible detachment of said two coupling parts, said second coupling part being supported at a level below said first coupling part from said positioning means through said first coupling part and said holding means carried by said two coupling parts, and said positioning means being arranged to permit access for said charging conduit to said second coupling part from below whereby said tank can be filled from said charging conduit by upward flow through said conduit means under the control of said valve unit.

6. In combination, a tank, conduit means having an end portion communicating with said tank, and housing means enclosing said tank and conduit means formed with a bottom aperture for making possible filling of said tank from below and provided with a bracket bridging said aperture for positioning the other end portion of said conduit at a. level below the top of said tank for filling said tank by upward fiow through said conduit means, said other conduit end portion comprising a first coupling part, a first valve part in said first coupling part for sealing said conduit means, a second coupling part adapted for connection to a charging conduit, a second valve part in said second coupling part adapted for sealing said charging conduit, means respectively carried by said first and second coupling parts for detachably holding said coupling parts together in mating position, said first and second valve parts 00- operating to form a valve unit when said coupling parts are held together in mating position to control fiow from said charging conduit through said conduit means into said tank, said bracket being rigidly connected to said other end portion of said conduit means only at said first coupling part to make possible detachment of said two coupling parts, said second coupling part be: ing supported at a level below said first coupling part from said bracket through said first coupling part and said holding means carried by said two coupling parts, said bottom aperture being arranged to permit access for said charging conduit to said second coupling part from below whereby said tank can be filled from said charging conduit by upward flow through said conduit means under the control of said valve unit, and closure means for said bottom aperture swingably connected to said housing means.

JACOB RUSH SNYDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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